You might say that your small office has little-to-no carbon footprint, but that’s not the case. All of us contribute to pollution in one way or another. It’s as easy as using electricity. The culmination of several small items can, collectively, make a big impact on the environment. In recognition of Earth Day, here are some ways you can promote a green office, big or small.
1. Conserve & reduce electricity. Switch off lights or devices such as computers, monitors, room heaters, and air-conditioners when not in use. During summer, take advantage of natural light by opening the shades and allowing some sunlight in. Likewise with cool air on a hot day; open your windows.. You’ll not just reduce carbon footprint, also your monthly electricity bills.
2. Prefer non-toxic cleaning products. From cleaning your desk to wiping your monitor, you have to clean your office from time to time. Some of these cleaning products can cause harm to environment. Make sure you use eco-friendly products such as Pink Solution, Nature Clean, and Norwex.
3. Go paperless. Ok, so going fully paperless might be a bit tricky, but it’s likely that you can cut your paper use in half. If you send checks, use billpay instead. If you printed invoices, use an online billing CRM instead. You’ll protect natural resources by using less paper which require trees, and you’ll reduce office expenses of physical supplies.
4. Use public transit. The exhaust that cars emit is one of the largest sources of pollution on the planet. When you use public transit you’ll save on gas and reduce your carbon footprint. Win-win.
5. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle… And Refuse. You may have heard the first three R’s, so what does it mean by “refuse?” Literally, don’t buy stuff you or your office doesn’t need. Refuse it. No matter how hard we reduce, reuse, and recycle, if we don’t say NO to things that are a bit frivolous we’ll continue accumulating garbage and keeping the cycle of consumption going.
In recognition of Earth Day, help do your part. Whether you’re a business owner or an employee, you can help green your workplace.
